TOWN registered another comfortable pre-season victory at Swindon Supermarine despite only scoring one goal. The visitors created numerous chances but could not quite convert their efforts into goals.
Paul Benson was the first player to register a shot on target for the Town, cutting in from the left hand edge of the area before rifling a shot straight at the goalkeeper. Shortly before the quarter-hour mark Tommy Miller put the visitors in front. Alan Navarro’s clever delivery from the left was helped into the far corner of the net by Miller.
Troy Archibald-Henville could have added a second from a corner but ballooned his free header over the crossbar. On 27 minutes, the former Exeter City man was unfortunate not to register his second goal of pre-season after being denied by a superb save from the goalkeeper. A free-kick from Navarro found the centre-half at the far post but his header was expertly kept out by the quick reflexes of Ian Gill.
Benson and Ritchie were also guilty of missing chances before the break.
Early on in the second period, Andy Williams collected a long ball out from Foderingham, cut inside the covering full back and lofted a shot over the goalkeeper. With Gill scrambling backwards, the ball hit the underside of the crossbar before bouncing clear.
Williams could have been forgiven for thinking it was not his day as he also clipped James Collins’ cross onto the crossbar before watching as his confidently struck volley over the ‘keeper hit the foot of the post.
After a pedestrian first period, Town began to create more chances. Collins flicked a header narrowly wide after being found by Luke Rooney and Raffaele De Vita somehow managed to hit the spread-eagled goalkeeper when it looked easier to score.
As the clock ticked over the 80 minute mark, Oliver Risser’s vicious drive was well held by the Supermarine ‘keeper and Collins’ diving header at the near post flashed across goal and wide. Right on full time, substitute Louis Thompson also fired an effort over the bar while Storey was denied by the goalkeeper.
SWINDON TOWN – Foderingham (Bedwell ’64); Caddis (Smith ’64), Archibald-Henville (Flint ’45), McCormack (Devera ’45), McEveley (Thompson N ’45); Ritchie (De Vita ’64), Miller (Thompson L ’85), Navarro (Risser ’45), Roberts (Rooney ’45); Benson (Collins ’45), Williams (Storey ’45)
SUBS – N Thompson, Risser, Flint, Devera, Smith, Rooney, L Thompson, Collins, Storey, De Vita, Bedwell
SWINDON SUPERMARINE – Gill; Wallington, Cole, Beeden, Allen; Etheridge, Hilder, Dean, Horsell; Morris, Edenborough
